This invention relates to an adhesion-promoting additive for use in elastomers. In addition, this invention relates to elastomer compositions having enhanced adhesion to other polymers, in particular, to fluoropolymers.
Laminates of elastomers and fluoropolymers are desirable for use in a wide variety of commercial products, for example, in fuel hoses, pump diaphragms, and wire coatings. Good interlayer adhesion is required in such applications in order to produce constructions with acceptable service life. Further, it is desirable that such adhesion be achieved during the laminate curing process, without the necessity of applying primers or adhesives to the uncured elastomer surface.
One method described in the art for promoting interlayer adhesion between dissimilar elastomers and between elastomers and thermoplastic compositions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,569 and involves addition of polymeric adducts of dicarboxylic acids or dicarboxylic acid derivatives to uncured elastomers to promote adhesion to various substrates. While such systems often provide improvement in adhesion, certain demanding commercial requirements require even greater bond strengths than can be achieved through use of the adducts alone. In addition, the systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,569 are not suitable for use with certain elastomers, including those mixed with amines or active hydrogen compounds.
The present invention is directed to elastomer compositions which contain polymeric dicarboxylic acids or dicarboxylic acid derivatives, but which exhibit enhanced adhesion to other polymers, especially to fluoropolymers.